Introducing Englanti Editing, a Useful Site for Writers and Readers

Englanti Editing is a Finland-based business offering services for people who need documents, websites, and other materials edited. The cool thing about their website is that it also provides a variety of free resources for writers and readers.

The site showcases good writing and helps to promote the work of up and coming authors. On the Featured Books page, you can read about books from independent authors, learn about the authors themselves, and read excepts of their work. The genres/topics of the book vary, and I found some interesting selections including flash fiction, historical fiction, and a coming of age novel. Authors are invited to contact Englanti Editing to ask about having their books featured on the website as well as on Facebook.

Authors can also contact Englanti Editing to ask about having one of their short stories published in its entirety on the website. The site has a nice selection of stories, all of which are suitable for readers of all ages. You can also find author interviews by clicking the Interviews and Insights link on the site. I always like to find another website which features author interviews, so it was a pleasure for me to visit this link in particular!

Writers who visit the site are invited to participate in the Leaf Writing Challenge; writers can share stories written from the perspective of "a leaf being carried on the breeze," and the editors at Englanti Editing will feature selected stories on their website and also give award certificates to the best stories received by December of 2015.

It's always nice to find a business that gives back to its community--in this case, the business gives back by providing a platform to help authors get their work out into the world, and by providing readers a place to find new authors and works to enjoy. I'll be interested to see what other literary content EnglantiEditing.com features over time!

Introducing StoryMonsters, Connecting Kids and Books

As a kid, I always remember the fun of learning about new books in print magazines like the Weekly Reader--and even in the colorful book orders we'd take home from class. I love the concept of StoryMonsters because it's a project that helps connect kids (and parents and teachers) with books.

There are a couple of websites associated with the project. StoryMonsters Ink is a monthly e-magazine with information on books, authors, and illustrators. The idea of the magazine is to help teachers, librarians, and parents choose great books for their kids. The magazine also offers useful tools for homeschoolers, including teaching aids.

StoryMonsters also has a program where authors can apply to have their books considered for a "Story Monster Approved designation" which is a "kid-approved" seal for books which not only pass the scrutiny of adult judges but also are given high scores from a panel of kids who read and judge the books. There are three age-based categories for the awards: Preschool to Kindergarten, Grades 1-3, and Grades 4-6. The awards also make distinctions between fiction and nonfiction. For more information, visit http://www.storymonsters.com.

StoryMonsters is a project of Five Star Publications, a company which has been connecting readers and authors since 1985.